I’ve spent the last few days gathering evidence for the Public Accounts Committee inquiry into Access to Work. It’s becoming increasingly clear that huge, devastating changes are planned by the Government to Access To Work (ATW) and the future of many working disabled people and those they employ, hangs in the balance. Much of what’s going on is being done by stealth in the hope that no one will notice.

15 years ago, ATW rescued me from my own preconceptions about what I could expect to achieve in my working life. My tics were intensifying and I couldn’t see how it would be possible to keep doing the job I loved. But with the right support, provided at the moment I needed it, which is what ATW provided, I was able to thrive and raise my expectations accordingly. Now, with assessments taking over a year to be processed, the situation is very different. The principle of ATW is brilliant` – how it’s currently being administered is a national disaster for working disabled people and the support staff we employ.

If you receive ATW or are waiting to be assessed, I strongly encourage you to submit evidence of your own to the enquiry. The deadline for this is Monday 23rd February and our friends at Graeae have put together some excellent resources to help. The Access to Work Collective have also created a survey to find out whether ATW is delivering what it was designed to do.

We’re all under a great deal of pressure at the moment, with time, money and wellbeing, but if you feel strongly about this issue I urge you to find the time it takes to respond – it will send a strong message to the Government that disabled people and our right to work cannot be ignored.